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Panzer II
The Panzer II (short for Panzerkampfwagen II, ordnance designation Sd.Kfz. 121) was a German light tank originally designed as a stopgap while larger and more advanced tanks were developed. It nonetheless went on to play an important role in the early years of World War II, during the Polish and French campaigns. History 'Development' In 1934, delays in the design and production of the Panzer III and Panzer IV medium tanks were becoming apparent. Designs for a stopgap tank were solicited from Krupp, MAN, Henschel, and Daimler-Benz. The final design was based on the Panzer I, but larger, and with a turret mounting a 20 mm automatic cannon derived from the famous 20 mm FlaK 30 anti-aircraft gun. Production began in 1935, but it took another eighteen months for the first combat-ready tank to be delivered. Early Panzer II tanks had 15 mm of frontal armor which was increased to 30 mm on the Ausf. D and later to 35 mm on the Ausf. F 'Operational History' The Panzer II was the most numerous tank in the German Panzer divisions beginning with the invasion of France. It seen action in nearly all fronts from the Polish campaign to the Eastern Front passing by the France, Norway and North Africa. The Panzer II by the end of 1942 was supplanted by the Panzer III and IV and been largely removed from front line service and it was used for training and on secondary fronts. The turrets of the then-obsolete Panzer I and Panzer II were reused as gun turrets on specially built defensive bunkers, particularly on the Atlantic Wall, some were given to Germany allies such as Bulgaria and Slovak Republic. Production of the tank itself ceased by 1944, but its chassis remained in use as the basis of several other armored vehicles, majority of these being Wespe and Sturmpanzer II Bison self-propelled artillery or Marder II tank destroyers. In Girls und Panzer Der Film A Panzer II is one of the tanks owned by the Nishizumi household, alongside a Panzer IV and a StuG III. It was used by Maho Nishizumi and Miho Nishizumi in their youth as transportation when they were exploring the countryside. Even when she was 17, Maho still used it as her form of transportation when bringing Miho back to the train station. Little Army 2 The Panzer II was part of the reborn Bellwall Academy sensha-dō club, but was initially disregarded as it was very small and weak in comparison to the others much heavier tanks such as the Tiger I, Jagdpanther, Elefant or the T-44. The tank was assigned to Kashiwaba Sisters when they joined the team as there were no other spaces available on the other tanks and it matched the sisters body size. During the match against West Kureouji Grona Academy when the T-44 is destroyed, the Panzer II was wipe-out by the Black Prince shot and was thought to be eliminated. As the Kashiwaba Sisters were the leaders and best members of the Automotive club, they were able to fix their tank and come to rescue of the immobilized by fix their tracks during the battle. Its role during the match against Gilbert High School is unknown but it was likely used as a scout. During the match against Kuromorimine Girls Academy, the Panzer II first acted as a bait by firing on Kuromorimine's main force but failed as Erika see through the strategy. It was later seen ineffectively firing on Kuromorimine's tanks but once they realized that the enemy's tank ignored it, Emi Nakasuga used it to detrack a Panther creating a hole in the opponent's formation to reach their flag tank and destroy it but they ultimately failed. Before the battle against Ooarai Girls Academy, the Kashiwaba enlisted the help of their fellow automotive club members, having them crew three additional Panzer IIs that they had bought with their own "pocket money". As such, Bellwall was able to field a squad of four Panzer II against Ooarai. During the match they blocked the Type 3 Chi-Nu to permit the Tiger to destroy it and detracked the Tiger(P). After that one Panzer II was destroy by Rabbit Team's M3 Lee and two other by Leopon Team leaving only the Sisters tank operational. Ribbon Warrior A Panzer II from an unknown school is seen fighting with TKS 20mm. Kuromorimine Girls are seen training with Panzer II as part of the new Tankathlon club "Schwarzwald Kampfgruppe". Schwarzwald Kampfgruppe fielded twelve Panzer II against the BC Freedom/Centipede Team Coalition. One Panzer II destroyed a BC R35 before being destroyed by Asparagus' AMR-35, Erika destroyed it when Asparagus' buy her team some time to retreat. The Panzer II column is then stuck by a panicked crowd by a nearby blaze and attacked by a revigorated BC Team, the chaotic attack led to the destruction of four Panzer II and three R35. Erika and three others Panzer II faced off Shizuka, the three remaining R35 and two decoys while Koume and her two other tanks were sent to flank them. During the firefight a Panzer was destroyed and the rest crush the remaining R35s and the Te-Ke, Koume Akaboshi and her platoon were annihilated by ambushed M22 Locusts. The remnants of Erika platoon engage the Locust Platoon and destroyed one, Erika's last tank was shot down and she took another Locust down leaving only Erika and Bordeaux's tank. Erika eventually lost the duel and was gunned down. During the Cauldron tournament in the third match of the first round against Tategoto High School, Nibelungen Team commanded by Maho (rechristened Nishizumi Mask by Darjeeling) fielded her childhood Panzer II. Despite Tategoto's initiative to locate the Panzer II by sending their machine-gunners as foward observers, their five Type 95 Ha-Go were all destroyed by Maho without firing a single shot. During the Cauldron tournament in the fourth match of the first round against Ooarai's Duck Team, Schwarzwald Kampfgruppe fielded three Panzer II (commanded by Erika, Koume and Bauer). During the arrival match Duck Team and their Type 89B lured by a volleyball match after the match, speed up carelessly to the final line, followed by Koume and Bauer in their Panzer II, they neglected their security and were shot down by Erika's ambushed Panzer II near the finish line. During the Cauldron tournament second round Blue Team fielded seven to nine Panzer II Ausf.F, one from Nibelungen Team (commanded by Maho) and six to eight from Schwarzwald Kampfgruppe (four commanded by Erika, Koume, Bauer and Emi). Their first move was to attack Green Team, but they were quickly encircled by Red and Yellow Team, Maho and her Panzer II stayed behind as rear guard to engage Centipede Team, on the way she destroys Kinuyo, Fukuda and Tamada's Ha-Gos. Maho engaged Shizuka on a 1vs1 battle until Maho get shot down by Jajka's 7TP, on their side Schwarzwald Kampfgruppe lost at least one Panzer II against Green Team. After nightfall, the two downed Panzer IIs were eventually recommissioned, then after ONI Team introduction they are seen exchanging fire with them until a Anti-ONI task force is created joined by Maho, Erika and Bauer's Panzer II. Toward the end of the round Maho's tank was shot down from a long distance by Rei Kodai's Type 94, then five Schwarzewald Panzer IIs were destroyed during either the fights against ONI Team or other teams as only one is seen standing at the end of the round. Phase Erika Miho used a Panzer II Ausf.F alongside a Panzer 35(t) commanded by Koume during a contest against Erika's Panzer 35(t) and Leila Rou's Panzer IIF for the place of Vice-Commander. During the fight Leila's tank was immobilized by heavy fire coming from Miho's tank which was soon after destroyed by Erika' Panzer 35(t). Motto Love Love Sakusen Desu! Shiho & Chiyo used to play with a Panzer II in their childhood, just like Miho and Maho, except that they used it to shoot at birds after they attacked them because of Chiyo captured one of them and transformed it into a meat stick. Gekkan Senshado Magazine Viking Fisheries High School fielded two Panzer II Ausf.B during the tournament first round match against Koala Forest High School. During the match they acted, alongside the Panzer I, as a bait at the river bed to draw from its position and gather Koala's main force in one place to permit their SOMUA S35, Hotchkiss H35 to speed to their flag tank and the Panzer III to flank them through the forest. It is unknown if they scored any hit or if they were destroyed. Viking again fielded their two Panzer IIs during the quarter-finals match against Pravda Girls High School. Their role in the match is unknown but they were likely destroyed by the KV-2's bombardment or during the final charge. Blue Division High School fielded one Panzer II Ausf.E during the tournament first round match against Jatkosota High School. Its role in the match is unknown but it was likely destroyed either during the first encounter, during the destruction of their rear guard by BT tanks or during their last stand trapped in the corridor. Das Finale Blue Division High School fielded at least two Panzer II Ausf.F (one commanded by El and one other by Andalusia) during the Winter Continuous Track Cup first round match against Saunders University High School. One is seen destroyed alongside a Panzer I, a CV.35 and the Verdeja. El's Panzer II was likely destroyed soon after. Trivia * This is the only tank shown in the series so far that carries an automatic cannon , or autocannon, for its main armament. * This is also the only light tank that in the anime that is German made. * The Panzer II used by Miho and Maho during their childhood is possibly the same as the one Maho used in Ribbon Warrior manga and the same that was previously used by their mother and Chiyo Shimada during their childhood, as the old bucket is always seen at it's gun barrel. * Originally in the Monthly Comic Alive magazine version of Little Army II, the Panzer II was sometimes mistakenly drawn as a Panzer III (such as in Chapters 4 and 12). It has been corrected in the paper version except in Chapter 3. * In Girls und Panzer: Dream Tank Match, it was added as a playable tank with a free Switch update/PS4 DLC that went live on June 2019. The in-game model features the bucket only as a cosmetic touch, it does not affect the live gun barrel in any way. Moreover, it is registered as a Japan Sensha-Dō Federation tank in the selection screen since this is the same one owned by the Nishizumi family and is not connected with Ooarai nor Kuromorimine. Gallery Category:Tanks Category:Multi-Version Tanks Category:German Tanks Category:Light Tanks Category:Bellwall Girls' High School Academy Category:Kuromorimine Girls' High School Category:Viking Fisheries High School Category:Schwarzwald Kampfgruppe Category:TemporaryCategory